WASHINGTON -- Former President Bill Clinton, appearing somewhat wan in his first campaign appearance since undergoing quadruple-bypass surgery, called on voters in Philadelphia Tuesday to pick a vision of hope by voting for Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry.
Speaking at a rally in Philadelphia, Clinton contrasted Kerry's plans with President Bush's record of job losses and told voters they were facing "a clear choice between two strong men with great convictions and different philosophies, different policies with very different consequences for this city, this state, our nation and the world."
It was a battle between two worldviews, Clinton said.
"If one candidate's appealing to your fears and the other one's appealing to your hopes, you better vote for the person who wants you to think and hope," he said to cheers. "That's the best."
The campaign had to balance Clinton's health needs with the likely boost eight days from the election from a top figure popular with the Democratic voting base.
It also needed to consider the effects of Clinton's mixed legacy -- the top reason Vice President Al Gore did not employ him in his own campaigning in 2000.
Clinton would "remind Americans about the importance of this choice and what it can mean to the lives of middle-class Americans .Middle-class Americans have been left behind by George Bush," Kerry told NBC's "Today" show Monday.
When asked whether he was concerned Clinton might turn off voters, Kerry offered a terse answer.
"I'm running for president, not Bill Clinton," he said. He then added a paean to Clinton, saying his policies "made a difference to the lives of Americans."
"And I want to remind Americans that there are better choices than George Bush is making," he said.
Monday's rally was the first of what the campaign said would be several appearances in the final week of the campaign. Clinton said he did not intend to over-extend himself, but added that he wanted to help out the campaign any way he could.
"It takes a lot to keep President Clinton from the campaign trail -- as we all know," Kerry said Monday after Clinton spoke.
"But heart surgery is a big deal, and when you have a triple bypass to be back here in seven weeks, this president is the Comeback Kid and America loves you for it."
The comment returned to a phrase Clinton used in his own comments -- both to refer to himself and the Democratic presidential candidate.
"From time to time, I have been called the Comeback Kid. In eight days, John Kerry's going to make America the Comeback Country," he said to loud cheering.
Clinton pointed admiringly to Kerry's determination, despite seeming setbacks such as former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's early lead in the primaries.
"I am very proud of John Kerry and the campaign he has run," Clinton told the crowd. "He never gives up. He never gives up."
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He also reiterated all the campaign's major talking points, including its slam on Bush as the first president in 70 years to oversee job losses during his tenure. Uncharacteristically, Clinton looked down to notes from time to time as he rattled off statistics about the Bush administration's bad track record for voters in the battleground state.
During Bush's administration Pennsylvania lost 70,000 jobs compared to 219,000 gained by the same time "when that last fellow was president -- me," he said with a chuckle. He discussed increased poverty rolls, lost insurance coverage and unemployment.
Clinton also pointed to what he said were the candidates' disparate philosophies.
Kerry supporters wanted a stronger world community with shared responsibilities and opportunities, "where we cooperate with others whenever we can and act alone only when we have to," he said.
"Our friends on the other side want a world where they concentrate wealth and power on the far right, do what they want to when they can, and cooperate with others only when they have to."
The former president also acknowledged his endorsement, already well-known and well-publicized, was unlikely to sway many voters.
"I know well that no one's presence can change a single vote, but I hope my reasons can affect a few votes," he said.
One Democratic analyst agreed with Clinton that he probably couldn't reach undecided voters, but said it was because they have "fundamentally rejected Bush, but they're not yet persuaded that Kerry's up to the task.
"So they may go back to Bush," he said.
The analyst, who requested he not be named, said Clinton was likely to be used to get out the vote because of his power to electrify the Democratic base but that he wouldn't be a good choice to convince voters wavering between the two candidates.
The campaign "would be crazy if they were using Clinton with undecideds," he said, but added that like all surrogates, Clinton was one more way to get out the message.
"Even if you argue with the messenger, there's no arguing with the message that things just aren't like they were four and eight years ago," he said.
Clinton's success among his base, the analyst said, is undeniable and will help Kerry's falling margins in voting blocks such as African-Americans, Hispanics, Jewish and white liberals.
His performance Monday, however, was markedly less energetic than his blockbuster performance at the Democratic National Convention in August.
But despite apparent fatigue, Clinton told the audience with a chuckle that life on the hustings would only help his recovery.
"If this isn't good for my heart, I don't know what is," he said over ongoing cheering.
Kerry and Clinton were to continue campaigning in battleground states for the next several days. The campaign also said that on Tuesday it was launching a two-day "Stronger America" tour focusing on national security and featuring former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and retired Gens. Merrill McPeak and Claudia Kennedy.
